Toasted Pumpkin Seed Trail Mix

I have a whole shelf in my kitchen stocked entirely with nuts, seeds and dried fruits. At times they threaten to overtake the entire pantry. To say I get a little carried away might be an understatement. I hate running out of any one thing…what if I need it to bake and there isn’t any!? You see my point?

To use up some of the abundance I like to throw together a trail mix. Eating trail mix is more exciting and enticing than simply eating handfuls of individual nuts or fruit.

This particular mix has all the sweet and salty elements that I adore from a trail mix with a zingy edge from the addition of crystallized ginger.

There’s also salty toasted pumpkin seeds, sweetly toasted almonds, chewy cranberries, coconut flakes, banana chips and chocolate. Don’t want to forget the chocolate. One of, if not the most important component. I chopped a dark chocolate bar up to toss in but feel free to use what you have on hand — chocolate chips, m&m’s, reese’s pieces — whatever sets your heart aflutter.

Toasting the pumpkin seeds transforms them into light and airy tidbits with a hollowness in the middle like they’ve been “popped”. They crunch between your teeth and are a lot more fun to eat than plain ones.

If trail mix is anything it’s versatile. Substitutions won’t hurt one bit. This is all about using up what you already have kicking around so it doesn’t go to waste.

A fun activity for kids is to set out all the components and let them make up their own signature mixes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss pumpkin seeds with 1 teaspoon olive oil and spread out on one side of a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Toss the almonds with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and spread out on other side of the baking sheet. Toast about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through. Remove and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl toss everything together. Store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid in a cool place 2-3 weeks.